Birds use thier fascinating beaks to feed themselves and even tell a lot of them. These beaks come in various sizes and shapes and have thier advantages and specializations. Here is a list of 10 types of birds with long beaks,
Birds with Long Beaks
1. Sword-billed Hummingbird
Sword-billed Hummingbird is one of the birds with long beaks and the only bird whose beak is longer than the rest of its body, excluding the tail. It is also known as swordbill and is a neotropical species of hummingbird from the Andean regions of South America. This is the only member in the genus Ensifera and is listed among the largest species of hummingbirds. The enormous bill of the bird can go between 8 to 12 and the body length of adult species can go between 13 to 14 cm excluding the bill. The breeding occurs from February to March and the nest is made up of moss and is usually hung among root fibers high above the ground.
2. Long-billed Curlew
The long-billed curlew is a large North American shorebird that belongs to the family Scolopacidae. It is also known as sickle-bird and candlestick bird. The body length is between 50 to 65 cm in length and the average weight is between 490 to 950 grams. They are solitary and diurnal birds and during breeding season they are often seen foraging for food in pairs, in groups, or on their own. The avarage lifespan long-billed curlew is upto 10 years in the wild.
3. American Woodcock
American Woodcock is one of the birds chirping at night found primarily in the eastern half of North America. The body length is between 25 to 30 cm in length and the average weight is between 140 to 230 grams. They used to spend most of the time on the ground where birds’ plumage provides excellent camouflage. Talking about the appearance, they have a plump body, short legs, a large, rounded head, and a long, straight prehensile bill. The dietary habit is carnivores in nature and feeds on invertebrates, particularly earthworms. The average lifespan of American woodcock is upto 8 years in the wild.
4. Keel-billed Toucan
Keel-billed Toucan is one of the colorful birds known for its social and often play and “duel” with each other using their bills, and throw fruit into each other’s mouths. Talking about their appearance, they have blue feet and red feathers at the tip of their tails. They are found in from Southern Mexico to Venezuela and Colombia. The dietary habit is herbivorous and frugivorous birds that feed on insects, eggs, nestlings, and lizards. The bird species is not endangered at present.
5. Black Skimmer
Black Skimmer is one of the black birds in Florida that breeds in North and South America. They feed in large flocks and are used to fly lower over the water surface with the lower mandible skimming the water. The main threats to the population of black skimmers include habitat loss, human disturbances, pesticides, and oil pollution. The. Natural storms can also destroy nests and swamp newly hatched chicks. Intially they are known as scissorbills and are the only birds with distinctive uneven bills and the lower mandible is longer than the upper.
6. Eurasian Curlew
The Eurasian curlew is one of the birds with long beaks that belong to the large family Scolopacidae. They are one of the most widespread of the curlews breeds across temperate Europe and Asia. The bird species feeds by probing soft mud for small invertebrates, but will also pick small crabs and earthworms from the surface if the opportunity arises. The avarage lifespan of Eurasian curlew is upto 5 years in the wild. It is also known as common curlew and natural predators include foxes and predatory birds.
7. Common Snipe
The common snipe’s scientific name is Gallinago gallinago native to the Old World. The body length is between 25 to 27 cm length and the average weight is between 80 to 140 grams. These are social bird flocks upto 500 individuals at rich feeding grounds. Bird species are not threatened at present and the population is also declining with local extinction in some areas (notably in parts of England and Germany). The tip of the beak is flexible and it is full of nerves and helps the birds to feel their prey deep underground.
8. Roseate Spoonbill
Roseate Spoonbill is one of the birds with long necks and the color ranges from pale pink to bright magenta, depending on age, whether breeding or not, and location. These tropical birds are monogamous and stay with one partner during one breeding season. The nest is made up of a large cup-shaped structure with small branches and stems. These long-legged birds lay between 2 to 5 whitish with brown markings eggs and both parents incubate them for 22-23 days. The population is threatened by the destruction of their natural habitat. It is also listed as one of the most beautiful pink birds in the world.
9. Northern Jacana
The northern jacana is a resident breeder from coastal Mexico to western Panama and on Cuba, Jamaica, and Hispaniola in the Caribbean. The body length is upto 241 mm and the average weight is between 86.9 to 145.4 grams. Talking about the appearance, it has a dark brown body with a black head and neck. The color of the bill has yellow patches and its forehead has a yellow wattle. The primary diet includes insects on the surface of vegetation and ovules of water lilies. It is also seen feeding on snails, worms, small crabs, fish, mollusks, and seeds.
Image Source: Juan Zamora
10. Australian Pelican
The Australian pelican’s is one of the forest animals from Australia whose scientific name is Pelecanus conspicillatus and belongs to the family Pelecanidae. The body length is between 1.6 to 1.9 meters and the average weight is between 4.5 to 7.7 kilograms. These water-diving birds have the longest beak among all pelicans. Males are slightly bigger than females and have four webbed toes on each foot. They prefer to live near interior rivers, coastlines, lakes, and marshes. The primary diet includes piscivores & carnivores and feeds on fish, but their diet includes also crustaceans, tadpoles, shrimp, and, sometimes, turtles.
These are the birds with long beaks. Kindly share and post your comments.
